Heavy-duty rocks were bred specifically for the transport of heavy loads. The people called these horses heavy trucks. Today we will talk about the Vladimir giant, describe the scope of the breed, the specifics of keeping and caring for horses.
History reference
Vladimir heavy-duty horses were bred on the basis of kledesdale. In the selection, only selected samples of breeding breeds of France and England were used.
The breeders received the initial achievements of breeding work on the breed Vladimir heavy truck back in 1886, and officially purebred breed was recognized only by 1946. The name of the breed is associated with the region where it was obtained.
Breed description
The best Russian breed is outwardly very similar to its foreign “parents”. The animals turned out massive, significantly superior to other breeds bred on the territory of Russia.
Did you know? In the Middle Ages, large knightly horses were called "destrie", which means "right-handed". There is a hypothesis that giant horses received such a nickname because their squire was always located to the right of the equestrian warrior.
Appearance
Powerful handsome can be described endlessly.
The exterior of the breed is shown in the table below:| Head | Heavy in bulging profile. |
| Neck | Broad, arched, with well-shaped muscles. Set high. |
| Back | Powerful, with well-defined muscles, slightly elongated. |
| Housing | Slightly drooping, forked, tilted. |
| Limbs | Long, correctly set, well developed. They are characterized by dryness and densely covered with wool. |
| Tail | Wavy, thick, long, reaches the ground. |
| Mane | Hanging, wavy, thick. |
| Suit | The main one is bay. It happens black, brown, sometimes with white spots in the area of the legs and head. |
| Wool | Thick, shortened. Some individuals resemble a velvet toy. |
Character
A feature of Vladimir horses is restraint, friendliness and peaceful behavior. Moreover, this characteristic applies to both sexes.
Vladimir heavy-duty horses do not resist the harness, perfectly adapt to the local environment (they feel good both in an urban environment and in a quiet village), hardworking, hardy and undemanding to the living environment. They can be perfectly kept both in the stud farm and in the herd.
Human curiosity does not frighten heavy trucks from Vladimir - animals willingly make contact with kids.
Scope of application
The current use of the breed is little reminiscent of what it was bred for. Neither arable land nor a cart are waiting for horses, which significantly shortened the age of heavyweights. It is the modern fashion for recreational activities, horseback riding and sport hunting that gave the breed a second life, making them meaningful and necessary.
Representatives of the species also participate in long trips. Due to the conflict-free and sedate nature, these giants even adapt to beginners who first sat in the saddle or picked up the reins.
Horse breeders respect the breed for always transferring their remarkable power to the litter. There are also competitions of the Vladimir triples, which are held on holidays at private stables and hippodromes.
Did you know? Heavy, without luggage, Vladimir heavy-duty can trot through 1,600 meters in 3 minutes. With a load, they cover a distance of 2 km in 5 minutes.
Recently, giants have been part of the therapy in rehabilitation and treatment areas. After all, horse riding helps to overcome some disorders and diseases.
Advantages and disadvantages
Vladimir Heavyweight is one of the most significant and elite breeds in its field. Even the external data of the horses indicate the presence of enormous power in the animal.
- Among the advantages of the breed, the following characteristics are noted:
- Strong and balanced physique. It allows you to easily perform work that is impossible for a person.
- Amazing natural data: strength, beauty, zeal, energy. Such harmonious unity is peculiar only to this breed.
- Universality of application. In addition to carrying out heavy work, these horses can be used for horseback riding.
- Easy character. Calmness and complaisance are appreciated in horses.
- Duration of operation. Effectively Vladimir heavy trucks can be used for more than two decades.
- High birth rate.
- Good performance. These giants can do the job in all weather conditions.
- Vladimir heavyweights also have disadvantages:
- a shallow frame with flat ribs and a slightly soft back;
- mediocre maneuverability and mobility.
It is worth noting that all these shortcomings are not inherent in all individuals, it all depends on personal characteristics.Home Content
No matter how unpretentious the appearance of the horse may be, it should be looked after. So, the content of the Vladimir heavyweight has specific nuances, which are discussed below.
Stable
Facilities where horses are housed may be located separately (stalls), or collectively (stalls). Stalls are easier to care for, they are spacious and more comfortable for animals. In stalls it is recommended to install nets or windows so that animals can see their fellow tribesmen.
Important! With the wrong design of the stall, if the horses are isolated from each other, they become aggressive and stop taking food.
A more budget option is to place the horses in the stall, in a joint room, divided into individual spaces for each animal. In the stalls, the heavyweights are nearby, they see each other and do not experience longing.
The disadvantage of the stall is the complexity of its cleaning and difficult maintenance in cold weather. It will not be possible to ventilate such a room for a long time, and stagnant air can become the culprit of the development of diseases.
In addition, if one horse gets sick in the stall, then the likelihood of spreading the infection increases significantly. To prevent this situation from happening, it is better to keep heavyweights in stalls, where diseased individuals can be isolated from healthy ones.
For the comfort of horses, it is necessary to maintain a stall of at least 3 meters (above - only welcome). At this height, better ventilation is provided for the horse. You can also install small windows for air exchange under the roof. But it is necessary to take care of the absence of drafts.
At least 5 sq.m. space (stall, stall). At the same time, the visit should always have enough sunlight, so it is advisable to plan more windows during construction.
Important! Lack of natural light can cause a horse's vision loss.
The floor in the room can be made of concrete or wood. Concrete will be more practical: it is more durable, and it is easy to construct sewage recesses in it.
The acceptable temperature regime in the cold season is +8 ... + 11 ° С. Above this point, temperature is undesirable, since it does not have a very positive effect on the health and condition of the animals. Vladimir heavyweights survive the cold well, but should not be below +3 ° C in the room.
In summer, maintaining the temperature in the stable is difficult, so you need to regularly ventilate the stable and remove manure more often to prevent an outbreak of infectious diseases.
If the room is located in the sun, then in summer it is advisable to cover the openings with light shades of fabric, so that heavyweights are not too hot - overheating is unsafe for animal health.
Sawdust (wood chips, shavings) and straw are suitable as flooring. The concrete floor is covered with a five-centimeter layer of sawdust, and on top it is covered with straw so that moisture entering the surface remains in the upper layer. This way the cleaning process can be facilitated.
Feeding troughs are better to use metal or wooden. The dishes may be angular or slightly protruding into the corridor, but it is necessary to have rounded external corners. Such containers will be easier to clean and disinfect.
Did you know? For many peoples, heavy trucks are a real pride, they are treated with care and saved from extinction. Also, these animals, along with castles and royal power, are a symbol of Old Europe.
Drinking utensils should be made of metal and installed at a height of about a meter above the floor.
Care
In order for horses to maintain their appearance and health, they should be looked after. First of all, they care about the cleanliness of the withers, tail and wool. They are combed out in the direction of hair growth with a special plastic comb for horses. The mane and tail, so that they do not get tangled during the combing process, are moistened with special means (sprays, gels).
When caring for wool, the following safety measures should be followed:
- Do not get close to the horse’s legs;
- perform all manipulations gently, not sharply;
- Do not sit behind the animal.
Wash heavyweights after pollution. Approximately such procedures are performed once a week. The temperature for washing should be at room temperature so that bathing does not bring the animal concern. Horse legs are washed daily after work.
In this way, the limbs simultaneously protect against edema and inflammatory processes. In cold weather, only dry cleaning is allowed.
Cleansing the hooves is a key element in caring for heavyweights. You can perform the procedure both by yourself and with the help of specialists. Dirt, small stones and other elements that could get there are removed from the hooves. Do the job with a special hook.
Important! When cleaning hooves, closely examine the surface for cracks, injuries or the effects of dermatitis. If you identify a defect, be sure to contact your veterinarian.
Do not disregard the teeth of horses. They are systematically examined for diseases, infections, and other troubles that may cause animal discomfort.
Once every six months it is recommended to show the Vladimir heavy truck to the veterinarian. This will allow timely identification of various problems and start therapy.
Crib Cleaning
A guarantee of horse health is daily restoring order in the stable, and this event should not be ignored. Before starting the procedure, all animals are taken out of the room. First, with a shovel, they remove manure and carry it outside the boundaries of the stable. After that, replace the litter with a new one. Do it with a pitchfork.
The dishes are removed from the stall and cleaned of food debris with a coarse brush. After cleaning, the feeders and drinking bowls are washed with warm water.
At the end of cleaning, the floor is sweeping and laying flooring.
Feeding and drinking
In addition to hay and fresh grass, it is advisable to include grain food and vitamins in the diet of a heavyweight. The grain contains elements that provide energy. But an overabundance of this product can cause problems with the gastrointestinal tract. On average, a heavyweight can be given 1.5 doses of a typical cereal rate, calculated for ordinary horses.
Without vitamin supplements, horses will also not be able to do the hard work. Moreover, the norm of vitamin and mineral supplements for them should also be increased.
Did you know? The record holder among large horses is the Shire horse named Sampon. He was born in 1846 in England and by the age of four reached a height of 2.2 meters and weighed 1.5 tons. In his homeland he was called a mammoth. Unfortunately, not a single photograph of the giant has been preserved.
In general, the daily diet of the heavyweight looks like this:
| Product | Norm per day, kg |
| Oats | 8 |
| Hay | 16 |
| Bran | 2 |
| Carrot | 5 |
Feed Vladimir heavy trucks three times a day. But at the same time, animals should have constant access to hay. This is due to the fact that the digestive juice is continuously produced in the horse's body, which harms the gastric mucosa and promotes the formation of ulcers. Therefore, horses are forced to chew all day.
If a heavyweight is involved in work all day, then he is given food every two hours. After feeding with oats or compound feed, the animal needs to provide an hour's rest.
In addition, horses should have a 24-hour approach to water. They drink a lot (70-80 liters per day). In winter, you should not forget about the watering, but the water must be warmed up to room temperature, not lower than +20 ° С.
It is clear from the above that the Vladimir heavy truck is a magnificent breed, suitable for both grueling work and horseback riding. And most importantly: in order to grow this handsome man, there is no need to organize a specific situation and make excessive efforts.
